A Childhood Memory of a Funeral Home Daughter Essay

As a child, I grew up in two separate funeral homes. My father owned one and my grandfather owned and lived in one. There was not a day when someone wasn’t dying. Many of my childhood memories lead me back to the funeral home. Heck, I even learned to ride my tricycle in the area where all the caskets were kept! Many of my friends would find it neat that I knew all about the place and would always ask me to take them around for a tour. There is a story that I always tell people that happened at my grandpa’s funeral home one unique day. My earliest memory of my grandpa’s house; which was a funeral home, was when I was 8 years old. The top part of the house was the funeral home, but the bottom part that was underground was where my family lived. Four children were raised there and it was a normal life as we thought. One day I was playing around with my toys in the living room and a call came over the line. My grandma picked up the phone like she normally did and asked all the info that she needed. Soon after, my grandpa and one of the workers went outside and hopped into a hearse to go get this person who had just died. I mean it was their job right? This was a normal everyday occurrence at my grandpa’s house. I don’t know what else happened during grandpa’s ride that day. When he came back home my life would be forever changed. First, they always get the person out and roll them to the preparation room. Most of the time my grandpa would put them on the table in the prep room and go do other chores. He always had more than one person dead in his place. Yes, I have grown up in it my whole life, so I think I am desensitized to death when I talk about it. He would always go out on another call or go get the person ready for viewing. His business was a very busy one because he also ran the ambulance service back in the day before paramedics came to be.

In Whose Honor Essay

The film â€Å"In Whose Honor? American Indian Mascots in Sports† produced by Jay Rosentein introduces a topic that is new to many viewers. In the film, he explores through interviews and school controversies the misuse of Native American culture through school sports mascots. Most of the people who embrace school mascots, such as those used by teams named the Chiefs, Indians, Braves, and Warriors unknowingly promote a stereotype of Native American culture that serves to embarrass and further alienate the people from their heritage. The fight to stop these unfair stereotypes are undertaken by many activists and their heroic stories are chronicled throughout this documentary. Issues with the mass media and it’s effect on shaping perceptions of people as a powerful force are also explored and from a sociological perspective all of these harmful images and portrayals are investigated. The most significant sociological revelation in the film is the clash between majority and minority culture. On a smaller scale, the majority culture and the norms that come with this are not parallel to minority culture except in forms of entertainment. Most of the intersect that connects majority and minority culture of any type is such things as dining at â€Å"ethnic† restaurants, listening to â€Å"ethnic† music, and watching movies and television that depict minority life through the eyes of the majority culture. Sports has traditionally been seen as racially neutral as a form of entertainment, but this film however, shows that even this arena is ridden with racial stereotypes is one used the trained sociological â€Å"eye† so to speak on them. Simply, stereotypes of any kind are harmful and detract from the long and proud tradition that the stereotyped people hold. I understand how the idea of racism and stereotyping talked about in scope in class correlates with the topic and the issues in the film. Racism is a systematic, institutionalized way of oppressing people and Native Americans have been oppressed since English settlers came to The United States. Now Native Americans are largely out of sight, on reservations where there is little contact with the majority culture. Just because there is little contact, however, does not mean that the people do not want to be depicted and portrayed by the majority culture in an accurate way. In one hand it seems like the proud traditions in history of the Native Americans have largely been forgotten, but on the other hand stereotypical images of them do emerge in the media. Stereotyping is less universal and widespread than racism, but each are harmful in their own ways. While racism serves to oppress a group of people to submission, shame, and even genocide; stereotyping serves to take only a few traits and traditions of people and make this seem like these traits are all that there is to the group. The Native American people have their own music, values, language, and many other specific norms to their group. Additionally not all Native American tribes are similar in their language, rituals, and other ways of living. So to lump all these tribes and Native Americans together as a whole with stereotypes about them is not only unfair, but it undermines the entire history and present culture of this group. One of the most harmful aspects of the Native American stereotype is that the people are all inherently violent. Though some tribes were known for their tenacity in wars, not all tribes were active in violent warring with other tribes. The sports stereotype, then damages the culture by making all Native Americans of past and present seem like violent people and this is simply not the case. Most all sport teams do have mascots that are renowned for their strength and warring skill; such as the Vikings, the Raiders, the Buccaneers, and so on. The fact that many schools use Native American names for the stereotype that the names hold is interesting as is the fact that many schools, due to Native American activism have chosen not to use Mascots or names that are offensive or stereotypical. The school depicted in the documentary, however, did not see how harmful their actions were and this type of ignorance is fairly representative of majority culture. I must say, as a member of the majority culture, that I was unaware of the harm of such stereotypes and I am an avid fan of all sports, as well. Most of the mascots I saw growing up were â€Å"silly† and their purpose was simply to get fans motivated to cheer for the team. However, I do recall a coach who led the Braves in Little League Baseball and wore the Native American headdress and carried a tomahawk to games. I remember being embarrassed for him and his behavior, but now realize that it was the way that he depicted Native Americans that ultimately bothered me. This film was definitely an eye-opener and there was a message of hope in the social activism that was carried out in the name of justice for all Native Americans. As we have talked about all the social changes in class that have been initiated by activism, it is good to see that these types of actions are still carried out today as they are very necessary. In conclusion, â€Å"In Whose Honor? American Indian Mascots in Sports† is a very sociologically sound documentary that weaves in many in-class and textbook topics. The historical effects of racism against the American people and the currently carried out stereotypes of Native Americans in sports is an example of how cultures can be oppressed and misunderstood. This also shows how important activism is in bringing about needed social change in the media, sports, and all arenas of majority culture.

Autobiography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Autobiography - Essay Example After witnessing my grandmother’s near-death experience and her recovery to normal life, I knew that the human body fascinated me. I wanted to be the oncologist who helped get my grandmother’s health back on track. I wanted to help bring back smiles to people’s faces through influencing their health conditions. My clinical shadowing and research experience has helped affirm my dream of becoming a doctor. This experience has assisted me in learning how tender and caring one should be towards patients. I have learned that devotion is key to becoming successful in the medical profession. I have learned to experience the joy one gets at seeing patients recover. The experience further widened my eyes on how detailed the human body is, and how perfectly careful one has to be when dealing with it. I got to be part of two research activities through this experience; a clinical and laboratory research. Forming part of the clinical research helped me to gain two mentors wh o were the two head doctors of the research. They guided me on the road they undertook towards achieving their work as doctors. The clinical research further enlightened me on the effort, dedication, and the love that a team of doctors put towards assisting a community. The clinical research also helped me to consolidate my academic goals. I became interested in attaining a master in public health during the gap year after medical school. The laboratory research experience helped me to understand how to follow specific protocols.

Food win and cutler in California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Food win and cutler in California - Essay Example Q: Are there any set rule of table etiquettes? A: No, as long as you’re not eating with hands or in an uncivilised manner it’s fine. Q: Does Guatemalan food have any therapeutic uses? A: Not really, Guatemala is a third-world country. People are lucky to barely feed their families. However, old men sometimes consume roots in order to increase their sexual prowess. Q: Does the Guatemalan culture affect the food that you eat or the way you eat it? A: Food unifies the Guatemalans. It is always very family-oriented. Q: What are your meal cycles? A: Guatemalans eat three times a day, with breakfast or dinner being their heaviest meals. Q: How does food vary on special occasions or celebrations? A: Guatemalans celebrate Independence Day as well as Christmas and Easter, and at these occasions candied fruit as well as tamales are served with punch. Interview with a person from California: Q: What foods do people in California usually eat, or is indicative or their culture? A: F ood in the US is very diverse. The popular items for people in California include donuts, fast food (pizza, burgers, sandwiches etc.), corn as well as fresh fruit. However, there are no set foods that are indicative of this culture. People here admire diversity in their cuisine, however due to their lifestyle it is convenient to eat out or consume frozen meals. Q: Are there any set rules or table etiquettes? A: No, Americans use fork and knives when necessary. However, several foods like pizza are eaten with hand. Q: Does the food have any therapeutic uses? A: To my knowledge, no it doesn’t. Q: Does your culture affect the way you eat food or how it is prepared? A: Yes, because we’re always on the go, families don’t usually have time to eat together. Also, it is more convenient to grab a takeaway rather than cooking a meal at home. Q: What are your meal cycles? A: We eat three times a day; however there may be several snacks in between. Q: How does food vary on special occasions or celebrations? A: Turkey is served on thanksgiving, and on Christmas cookies as well as desserts are common. Most Americans love to go out to eat on special occasions. PHASE II I. Guatemala is a country which does not have a national dish; however there are several foods that have now taken a position as a portion of the everyday diet. Similar to the times of the Mayans, corn maintains its position as a staple food in Guatemala; hence it can be termed as the core food of the country. It is more or less always eaten in the form of a tortilla, or a thin corn pancake, served warm wrapped inside a cloth (Fodor's Travel Publications, 1999). Another Mayan essential are the black beans (frijoles) that are consumed in almost every meal and have a place in their staple diet. Hence, these can also be termed as the core or primary food in Guatemala. These can typically be refried (volteados), squashed, or basically eaten fully( parados). Rice, eggs, as well as cheese are al so widely eaten in Guatemala and form a part of their primary foods (Let's Go Publications, 2000). Moreover, recently characteristic Spanish dishes, in the form of enchiladas, tamales, guacamoleand tortillas, have paved their way into the Guatemalan diet. These can be included in the periphery foods. In addition, several countries and their cultures have also had an effect on the

Persuasive Email Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasive Email - Essay Example Currently, they are working with one on one programs’ to assist adults in training and are providing basic courses for both children and adults that want to learn how to read. The implementation of the several initiatives by the Read for Life network has grown in demand so much that it now doesn’t have enough tutors for those that are illiterate in the community. As you may know, El Paso, Texas has the highest illiteracy rate in the nation, and three other Texas cities are in the top 10 with the highest illiteracy rate. You may also know that the literacy centers in the area are not available to those who have strenuous jobs, one parent families, odd working hours or to those who are in need financially1. By joining this venture, you will be giving back in one of the most needed areas of the community, while assisting a non – profit organization that is growing in demand. If you are interested in volunteering for Read for Life, please speak with me or contact Read for Life through the library, where they hold tutoring classes daily. I am willing to give volunteers 2 hours of paid time from work to volunteer and assist two adults per week. You will be able to take this time from work to help illiterate adults with one on one interaction while assisting a continuous need in the community. If you are interested in volunteering during hours that are outside of work, you can also speak with me about finding a representative for Read for

Response to Coments on DQ1 Hunt and DQ2 SmithW11 Essay

Response to Coments on DQ1 Hunt and DQ2 SmithW11 - Essay Example Another great attribute about learning about accounting is that that knowledge can be used to improve a person’s ability to analyze investment opportunities. By analyzing the four basic financial statements a person can perform a good assessment of whether a company is doing well or not. DQ2 I want to congratulate you on your career aspirations of pursuing an MBA to become a manager in the hospitality industry. The use of accounting is very important to effectively run a hotel operation. Accounting can help the manager determine what are the fixed and variable costs of the operation. Based on that information the manager can determine the needed occupancy rate for the hotel to exceed the breakeven point in order to make a financial profit. Having knowledge about GAAP is very important and has lot of practical uses. A few years my brother who is an accountant learned about an accounting change that drastically affected the financial results of some companies including VTSS. Due to the accounting change the value of the stock went up for $0.35 to over $4 in less than 6 months. Accounting knowledge is very useful to make investment decisions. References Luc.edu. Accounting Trivia. Retrieved June 14, 2011 from http://www.luc.edu/sba/accounting_trivia.shtml

Whats your religion belief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Whats your religion belief - Essay Example ne others the plan of our salvation, than from those from whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith†. In a fairly categorical sense, the above quote seems to indicate that the existence of further understanding, revelation, or identification of how salvation takes place is not existentially possible. Instead, the quote embodies the belief that the final revelation of salvation and its relation to humanity have been uttered and no possible further explanation could be offered. Yet, this particular view misses one fundamental precept; namely the fact that both before and after Christ’s earthly ministry, the power and importance of the Holy Spirit and its ability to convict the hearts of men and lead them in the path of righteous understanding played a central, if not pivotal, role in the way in which theological int erpretation and understanding took place. The underlying theological relevance of the above quote is of course central to understanding how a further knowledge and appreciation for Christian doctrine should develop. If it is in fact true that the development has taken place already, then the possibility for future scholars and theologians to continue to approach these topics from new perspectives and gain further insights is all but wasted effort. However, if the statement and untrue and somewhat misguided, then it is still required for individuals to engage with the Gospel and consider the unique ways in which theology and theological inquiry regarding the Holy Spirit, salvation and other fundamental Christian precepts can be understood and engaged within the life of the believer. Those that would disregard this approach as heretical would likely point to the danger of revisionism of key Biblical doctrines. However, such a fear is not necessarily grounded in reality or in fact; as the